Detector for cigar machines



3 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Q INVENTOR TTORNEY Dec. 24, 1940. J. w. WARREN DETECTOR FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed July 24, 1955 3 m N \N Q \NNNUW. um

Dec. 24, 1940. J. W. WARREN DETECTOR FOR CIGAR MACHINES 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 24, 1935 r INVENTOflI? BY a U ATTORNEY Dec. 24, 1940. J. w. WARREN DETECTOR FOR CIGAR MACHINES s Sheets-Shed 5 Filed July 24, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED" STATES 2,226,234 DETECTOR- FOR CIGAR MACHINES James W. Warren, Lynbrook, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 24, 1935, Serial No. 32,902

51 Claims.

This invention relates to detectors forcigar machines, its general. object being to provide means for controlling the operation of certain parts. of a cigar making machine, when a defective cigar hunch is forwarded to be operated on by said parts, in such a manner that losses due.

to the wrapping of defective bunches or otherwise operating on defective bunches are eliminated.

Hitherto, in the operation of cigar machines, if a defective hunch is supplied to the wrapping mechanism an expensive wrapper will be delivered by a wrapper transfer, paste will be applied to said wrapper, and the wrapper will be-applied to the-bunch, with the result that the wrapper is spoiled. Also when no bunch whatever is supplied, the wrapper is pasted and fed into the wrapping mechanism and becomes entangled therein, unless the operator is alert and notices that no bunch has been supplied. In this case the operator declutches the machine and pre-- vents operation thereof until a bunch is received, whereupon she restarts the machine,with some loss of timeand trouble.

leaf to the defective bunches, or when no bunch is forwarded, thus preventingspo-iling of expen- I sive. wrappers.

Another object of the invention is to provide detecting and control means for preventing application of paste when no normal bunch or wrapper is being forwarded tov the wrapping station. This serves to prevent fouling of parts by paste, as for. instance fouling of the. Wrapper transfer face.

A further object of the invention is to provide detecting mechanism. including. feelers operating on the head end of the. bunch or filler charge to detect empty or soft head portions, and also to provide feelers spaced along, the length ofthe cigar and individually operable to prevent the operations above referred towhenanyone of said feelers detects a defective bunch part.

Another object of the invention is. toprovide The principal object of the present invention,

of .a bunch, and to cause said instrumentalities for maintaining the wrapper supplying means or for operating parts inoperative after passage of a bunch past the detecting station. In this connection it is also a feature of the invention to provide for means automatically rehabilitating the parts rendered inoperative by the passage of a defective bunch when a normal bunch is ready to be operated upon.

Another feature of the invention lies in the controlling of the, suction on a cutting die and on the suction transfer receiving a leaf portion from said die to retain suction on said die andto cut oil suction on said transfer when a defective bunch is forwarded.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the-invention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a-cigar wrapping machine illustrative of the invention;

Fig. 1a is a schematic side elevation illustrating, partlyin section, a continuation atthe right of the machine shown in Fig. 1-; 1

Fig. 2 is an end elevation on the line*2-2 of Fj g 1; V

Fig. 3 isan endview, partly in section, showing a detail consisting of a bunch mold turret and ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view in sideelevation showing. a device for ejecting defective cigarbunches; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view in end elevation on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Briefly and generally described, in the embodiment. illustrated, there is provided in combination with mechanism for supplying a filing portion of a cigar, such as a charge or a charge wrapped in a binder, devices for supplying a wrapping portion of a cigar such for instance as a wrapper or binder, together with detecting meanscoacting with said mechanism. and said devices to. incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, thereby preventinginjury to. or loss of wrappers. In the form selected for illustration, said detecting means includes a feeler and means for imparting relative movement to said filling portion and said feeler to-cause one to. engage the other. Preferably, the wrapper. supplying devices include a suction wrapper transfer and said detecting means controls the suction to said wrapper transfer. In the machine selected for illustration, which is provided with a paster for applying paste to said wrapping portion, said detecting means is arranged to incapacitate the paster when no wrapping portion is supplied and when no normal bunch is for- Warded, thereby preventing fouling of the transfer. In the improved form shown, means are provided automatically to separate defective bunches from normal bunches. The above mentioned means and parts may be widely varied in constructions, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the details of the structure shown and described for illustrative purposes.

Referring now to the machine illustrated in the drawings, the bunch B ejected from one of an endless series of bunch shaping pockets 5a of the bunch mold turret 5 is carried by a swinging transfer arm 6 to the wrapper applying device I. The end positions 6 and 6" of the transfer arms corresponding to the bunch positions B and B" are shown in dotted lines. At the same time, a wrapper W is cut on the wrapper die 8 and taken to the wrapping device I by a wrapper carrier 9. The wrapper W is held by suction on the die 8 while being cut and on the wrapper carrier While being transferred. The die 8 and carrier 9 for this purpose communicate with a common suction chamber I controlled by slide valves I and I2, the valve II being closed and the valve I2 opened by a cam 54 when the wrapper W is being picked up by the perforated suction face 9a of the wrapper transfer or carrier 9, as shown by dotted lines II and I2. To chamber I6 is connected a suction pipe I3 in which the suction is continuous. The wrapper carrier 9, which is rotatably mounted on a hollow jointed arm I4 swinging on a shaft I5 in a hollow column I6, travels from position 9 on the die 8 to position 9" at the wrapper device I. In position 9", before reaching the wrapping device, one end of the wrapper on the carrier receives a daub ofpaste from a dauber H which is raised from a paste pot I8 at the proper time.

In order to prevent the wrapper carrier 9 from picking up a wrapper and paste, or in the absence of a wrapper, being fouled by the paste, in case no bunch or an imperfect bunch has been delivered to transfer 6, a row of detector feeler fingers I9 is placed adjacent the path of the bunch carried by transfer arm 6, these feelers being pivoted on a pin and each being provided with a spring 2|, the tension of which is adjustable by a threaded nut anchoring the spring to a bar 22 and adapted to yieldingly urge the feelers with a proper predetermined pressure toward the bunch B. The feelers I 9 are normally held in a neutral retracted position on pin 20 by levers 23 pivoted on a pin 24 and bearing against them through the action of springs 25, each feeler for this purpose having a stub projecting downward from its pivot point and engaging the end of one, of the levers 23, thus in turn holding the levers 23 in their normal horizontal position on their pivot pin 20 as long as the feelers I9 remain in place, the tension of the springs 25 being made sufficient as compared with the rather light tension of springs 2|, to accomplish this result.

At the moment when the arm 6 crosses the path of the feelers I9, but in proper time to engage the bunch if one is advanced in proper succession, the pressure of each of the springs 25 is momentarily taken up by a cam 26 which slightly raises a roller 21 of a lever 28 connected by a rod .29 to each of the levers 23, so that the feelers for this moment are free to swing against the bunch B. The levers 25 are pivoted on a shaft 30 and are connected by links 3| with latches 32 mounted on a pivot 33 and adapted to engage with a pin 34 in cam lever 35 which by a spring 36 is held in tension on fulcrum shaft 31 and through links 38 and 33 actuates the slide valves II and I2 of suction chamber III. The rods 29 are connected by links 40 to lever 3| pivoted on paster bracket 42 and carrying stop screws 43 which limit the up-motion of the dauber Il' so as to deliver just the right amount of paste to the wrapper.

When the transfer 6 carries a perfect bunch, then at the critical moment when the springs 25 are arrested by cam 25, the freed feelers I3 are held by the passing bunch B in their neutral position and at the next moment, when cam 26 has released springs 25, are again locked in place by the friction of levers 23. Thus after one cycle of operation of the machine and until a normal bunch is forwarded, the parts incapacitated by the operation of the feelers are rehabilitated. But when the bunch B in transfer 6 is too soft or when there is no bunch in the transfer arm, one or more of the feelers I9 will swing out of their neutral position, until arrested by stop screws 44 provided for this purpose, and the corresponding levers 23 on the release of springs 25 will turn on their pivots, causing cam levers 28 to descend to positions 28 thereby closing through links 3| one or more of the latches 32 over the pin 34 and at the same time turning through links 40 one or more of the levers 4|.

The closing of any one of the latches 32 prevents the cam lever 35 from actuating the valves I I and I2 when the wrapper carrier is in position 3 to receive the wrapper for the imperfect or missing bunch which has permitted the tripping of any of the levers 23. Also, the turning of any one of the levers 42 causes the dauber I! to be arrested by the then depressed stop screws 43 before it has reached the level of the wrapper carrier and the latter is thus kept clean for the next wrapper. Thus the cigar bunch is automatically inspected at spaced points along its length, including its head end, a part of the bunch which is critical in the production of good cigars.

The lever 35 and the stop screws 43 remain in their down-positions until the next normal bunch B transferred by arm 6 has reset the tripped feelers I9 by engaging with them and turning them back into neutral position on its way to the wrapping device. Since at this moment of engagement the cam 26 raises the levers 28, the feelers I9 and the levers 23 come into engagement and hold each other in their normal positions. The latches 32 are thus released and the stop screws 43 are raised to their normal positions so that a wrapper is properly fed and pasted for the coming bunch.

The bunch mold turret 5, wrapping device I, and wrapper carrier 9 are actuated from a main cam shaft 45 of the cigar machine by chains 46, 41, and 48, respectively, and the transfer arm 6 carrying bunch holding spring clips or gripper fingers 6a and paste dauber I! are operated by levers 49 and 50 controlled by cams on shaft 45, so that .all parts of the machine work in synchronism. A cam 54 on shaft 45 actuates lever 35 downwardly against spring 36.

The guide rod 5| of the dauber rests on a spring 52 carried by the lift rod 53, this spring taking up the motion lost by rod 5|. when the latter engages screws 43 before the end of the stroke of rod 53. I

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the ejector pins 55 are moved to a position shown at 55' to eject the bunch B into the grip of the spring clips or gripper fingers Go for movement on the transfer arm 6. These ejector pins are supported in a block 55a. which is vertically reciprocated by an arm 56 pivotally connected to the block and given an oscillating. movement by rack 58 .and pinion 51. The rack is reciprocated by means of a lever 60 having a cam roller 6| in engagement with a cam 62 secured to the turret shaft 63. This ejector pin operating means may be of any other suitable construction for operating the pins in proper timed relation to the movement of the turret, such as that shown in the patent to Rundell, No. 1,838,157, dated December 29, 1931, to which reference is made for further details of the ejecting mechanism and mold turret proper.

One of the principal advantages of the defective bunch detecting mechanism set forth herein is that it makes'possible and renders more reliable a cigar machine in which the bunches are automatically delivered from the bunch making end wherein, for example, scrap tobacco is separated into charges and rolled in a binder, to the wrapping end of the cigar machine wherein the formation of the completed cigar from the bound bunch is completed. Hitherto, there has com monly been a hand transfer from the bunch making machineto the wrapping and shaping part of the machine, necessitated to a large extent because. of the need for a hand inspection of the bunches through feeling of the same by the operator prior to inserting them in, for.example, the pockets of a shaping mechanism. By providing an automatic inspection device acting on the bunchlintermediate the applying of the expensive wrapper and the forming of the bunch consisting of abound: charge, it becomes possible to eliminate the, hand transfer between bunch making and wrapping .machines. It should, however,.be clearly understood that the present inspection device and its combination with the wrapping and pasting mechanisms have value outside of the general combination with the bunch wrapping mechanism, since they provide an automatic inspection not hitherto available in connection with these elements.

Referring to Fig. 1a showing the machine parts to the right of those shown in-Fig. 1, with which they are intended to cooperate, a container 64 constituting a source of supply of scrap tobacco has travelling within it an endless chain conveyor 65 having pockets 65a which take up a quantity of .tobacco sufficient for one bunch charge. This chain travels over sprockets 66 and 61 and an idler sprocket 68 positioned to invert the pockets and deliver tobacco into the chute 19 and thence to the measuring chamber H within which the tobacco is retained by a hinged door 12. The. sprocket 66 is driven in timed relation to the cigar machine by a chain 69 connected to a sprocket on the main drive shaft 45. A vertical-shaft l3 mountedfor. vertical reciprocation in a bearing 14 supports through bracket 15 a plunger lfiwhich is rela-' tively movable with respect to the chamber II,

through which it passes to deliver the tobacco charge T past the gate 12 into the pocket ofthe bunch rolling apron 82. A spring 111 interposed between a bracket element of the measuring chamber H and the bracket 15 serves to impart a vertical motion to said chamber depending onthe position. of. the lower end of the keyway 13a. within which a set screw 13b engages. Thus, the spring 11 serves to keep the. measuring chamber at a position determined by said lower end of the keyway while permitting relative motion of the plunger 16 to eject the charge. The plunger 13 is operated by any suitable means such as a cam lever 18 pivoted at 19 and having a cam roll engaging cam 8i. The door 12 is suitably operated by striking a stationary pin 12asecured to any stationary part of the bunch machine frame.

The rolling apron 82 rolls the charge T over the rolling table 83 on which a binder leaf has been previously placed, in a manner well known in this art, by means of a rolling pin 84 given its operative movement by means of a lever 86 pivotedat 8l'and actuated by a link 88 connected to a lever 89' operated through cam roller 9| by cam 8|. Lever 89 is suitably pivoted on a bracket 99'. Guides suitably guide the rolling pin at projecting end portions thereof over the rolling table 83. The bound bunch consisting of the charge rolled in the binder is ejected by an apron as shown in Fig. 1a, into a chute 92 against a guard 93. The bunch is seated in the pocket Baof the'shaping turret 5 by a plunger 94 supported by bracket 95 which preferably extends diagonally out of the path of the transfer 6 and is secured to a plunger rod 96 guided in a bearing 91 and actuated by a lever 98 operated through roller I09 from the cam 62. The lever 98 is suitably fulcrumed at 99.

It is noted that the failure of the wrapper car rier or transfer to remove the cut wrapper leaf from the wrapper die constitutes a visual signal to the operator that a defective bunch is passing through the machine, and other signal means may of course be operated by the inspection device to inform the operator as to the presence of a defective bunch.

While as used in the trade the terms cigar bunch and cigar wrapper are commonly employed. in a narrow technical sense, as used in the claims, these terms .are to'be employed in their broad dictionary meaning in the absence of specific language to the contrary. Thus, the term cigar bunch as used in the claims may refer to a charge without a binder, or to the charge in a binder known to the trade as a cigar bunch. Similarly, unless otherwise specified, the term cigar wrapper. or cigarwra'pping is not to be limited to the spiral outer'wrapping but may refer to a binder wrapped about the charge, or to such binders or wrappings as constitute the sole wrapper for cigars, such as Toscani cigars.

In. Figs. 4. and 5, inaddition to the construction shown in Figs. -1 and 1a, an addition is provided in which the cigar bunch is released from the bunch transferring or advancing means, as for instance'by opening the grippers 6a when the detector feeler 19' by its movement indicatees that said bunch is defective.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, a cross bar I92 having a dependent end portion, which is attached to each of the gripper fingers 60a, is

provided. The detector .feeler I9 is provided on piece I04 into the path of travel of the dependent portion of the cross bar I02 and thus swings open the gripper finger 6a, releasing the defective bunch which drops into a container I05.

A suitable circuit is provided forv energizing the solenoid I03 when the contacts IOI and IOIa. are brought together. When contact is made between MI and mm, the current in the primary III of a transformer energizes the secondary II2 of said transformer and the current from the secondary passes through conductor H5 to the contacts IM and mm. The current now passes through contacts IN and IOIa and wires IIS and I20 through solenoid I03 and back through wires I2I and I I! to the secondary I I2. As long as contact IOI remains closed current passes to solenoid I03. Thus, the core I04 remains in the path of the dependent portion of the member I02 for the purpose of opening the gripper fingers 6a if a defective bunch is being carried. In the next cycle of operation of the machine passage of a normal bunch will push the feeler I9 down, open contacts I0 I-I0 Ia, causing armature I03 to drop out of gripper opening position. It is noted that the operation of the locking lever 23 is such that once a defective bunch has pressed feeler I9 down it is held in its lowered position until reset by engagement of a normal bunch therewith. Thus contacts IOI-I M a remain closed till the feeler is reset. On the return movement the resilient finger 6a yields enough to permit passage of the depending portion of I02 past core I04 which is somewhat champered to facilitate this action.

Current flows at all times through the transformer primary through conductors I24, I25, and I23 back to the line I I3.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion.

2. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with saidmechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, said means including a feeler, and means imparting relative movement to said filling portion and said feeler to cause one to engage with the other.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a Wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, said devices including suction means for supporting said wrapping portion and said detecting means including mechanism controlling the suction to said suction means.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, a paster for applying paste to said wrapping portion, and instrumentalities connected to said detecting means for incapacitating said paster when no wrapping portion is supplied in position to be pasted.

5. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapping por- 'tion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanismfails to supply a normal filling portion, and means coacting with said devices to rehabilitate said devices when a normal filling portion is supplied. 1

6. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a'wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting meansycoacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said deviceswhen said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, said detecting means including a plurality of feelers spaced to engage the cigar bunch at spaced positions along its length.

' 7. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying afilling-portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapping portion of a cigar, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism and devices to incapacitate said devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal filling portion, said detecting means including a yieldingly mounted feeler normally held against'movement, and means momentarily'urging said feeler into the path of a bunch in said supplying means at a time to engage said bunch.

8. In a cigar machine, the combination with devices for performing an operation in forming a cigar, of mechanism supplying cigar filler portions to said devices, and detectingmeans cooperating with said devices and mechanism to prevent operation of the devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal cigar filler portion.

9. In a cigar machine, thecombination with devices for performing an operation in forming a cigar, of mechanism supplying cigar filler portions to said devices, and detecting means co-operating with said devices and mechanism to prevent operation of the devices when said'mechanism fails to supply a normal cigar filler portion, said detecting means including a feeler, and means for imparting relative motion to said portion and feeler to engage one with the other.

10. In a cigar machine, the combination with devices for performing an operation in forming a cigar, of mechanism supplying cigar filler portions to said devices, and detecting means cooperating with said devices and mechanism to prevent operation of the devices when said mechanism fails to supply a normal cigar filler portion, said detecting means including a feeler positioned to engage the head end of the filler portion to detect soft or empty head ends thereof.

11. A cigar making machine comprising in combination instrumentalities for supplying cigar bunch charges, devices for applyingwrapping elements forming a part of the completed cigar about said charge, a detector including a feeling element, mechanism producing relative motion between said element and said Wrapped bunch charge to bring the feeler and bunch charge into engagement, and control means for said cigar machine connected to said detector and arranged to vary the operation of said machine when no normal Wrapped bunch charge is encountered by said feeler.

12. In a'cigar machine, the combination with means for performing an operation in the making of complete cigars from cigar bunches, of means for detecting defective bunches, a transfer for delivering bunches into position to be acted upon by said operating means and devices controlled by said detecting means .tozvarythe operation oflsaid operating means when :a .defective :bunch "is .car-

riedby'said transfer. i

13. 'In a :cigar machine; the combination with means forxp'erforming an operation in the making of complete cigars from cigar bunches, of means for detecting defective bunches, a transfer for delivering bunches into position to be acted upon by said operating means, said detecting means coacting with said operating means to vary the operation thereofwhen a defective bunch is carried by said transfer, said'detecting means including a feeler yieldingly mounted in the path of movement-of said bunch carried bysaid transfer.

i l. In' a cigar machine, thecomb'ination with means iorsupply ing cigar bunches, of mechanism for receiving said .bunc'h from said supplying meansand applyinga wrapper to said bunch, and devices for preventing applicationof a wrapper to said bunch by said mechanism when the bunch in said supplying means is defective.

' 15. In acigar machine, the combination-with wrapping means, of means for supplying a wrapper to said wrapping means, a pastor for applying paste to the wrapper, and mechanism for preventing application of paste when a defective bunch is supplied to the wrapping mechanism.

.16. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for supplying cigar bunches, of suction mechanism for transferring wrappers to be applied to said bunches, and means coacting with the'bunches and connected to said transferring means to control the suction thereon to'prevent transfer of a Wrapper when a normal bunch is' 18. In a cigar machine, the combination with devices for supplying cigar bunches, of devices forsupplying Wrappers to be applied to said cigar bunches, of detecting means cooperating with said supplying and transferring devices to prevent application of a wrapper to defective bunches, and means for restoring said devices and means to their condition prior to encounter ing a defective bunch after each operating cycle of the a machine. 19. Ina cigar machine, the combination with means for transferring cigar 'fillers, ofdetecting meansv including a plurality of spaced feelers movable in the .path of each filler transferred to engage the same along the length thereof, and control means connected to said detector giving an abnormal response whenany one of the feelers thereof fail to encounter normal resistance by said fil1er..

-' 20. Means for detecting defective cigar bunches,- comprising a plurality of individually yieldable fingers movable .into aposition to engage one-of'said bunches, said fingers being spac'edto engage the-cigar bunch along its length including one finger at an end of the bunch, and

means capable of apprisin-g the operatoroperable when any one of said fingers fails to encounter a bunch providing normal resistance to said finger.

:21. Means for detecting defective cigar bunches, comprising a plurality of individually yieldable fingers movable into aposition to engage one of said bunches, said fingers being spaced to engage the cigar bunch along its length including one finger at an end of the bunch, and means capable of apprising the operator operable when any one of said fingers fails to encounter a bunch providing normal resistance tosaid finger, and means for individually varying the pressure exerted on the bunch by each of said fingers.

22. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices forsupplying a wrapper for said portion, said devices including a suction wrapper cutting die, a suction wrapper transfer receiving a wrapper from said die, and means controlling the suction on the die and on the transfer when the transfer is in position to receive a wrapper from the die, and detecting means cocting with said mechanismvto maintain suction on the die and cutoff suction on the transfer when said mechanism fails to supply a normal bunch.

23. In a cigar machine, the combination with mechanism for supplying a filling portion of a cigar, of devices for supplying a wrapperfor said portion, said devices including a suction wrapper cutting die, a suction wrapper transfer receiving a wrapper from said die, and means controlling the suction on the die and on the transfer when the transfer is in position to receive a wrapper from the die, and detecting means coacting with said mechanism to maintain suction on the die and cutoff suction on. the transfer when said mechanism fails to supply a normal bunch, said detecting means including locking means for locking said control means to maintain suction on the die and cut off suction from the transfer until another filling portion is supplied.

24. In a cigar machine having a movable .carrier for advancing cigar filling portions, a cigar machine control mechanism for incapacitating an operating instrumentality of said cigar machine when no normal cigar filling portion is brought by said carrier into position to be acted upon by said instrumentality, said control means having a detector feeler movable toward the cigar bunch to be inspected, means preventing movement of said feeler into the path of movement of said bunch except at a time to engage said bunch, and means for momentarily moving the feeler towards the cigar bunch at said time.

25. In a cigar machine having a movable carrier for advancing cigar filling portions, a cigar machine control mechanism for incapacitating an operating instrumentality of said cigar machine when no normal cigar filling portion is brought by said carrier intoposition to be acted upon by said instrumentality, said control means having a detector feeler movable toward the cigar bunch to be inspected, means preventing movement of said feeler intothe path of movement of said bunch except at a time to engage said bunch, and means for momentarily moving the feeler towards the cigar bunch at said time, and devices maintaining said control means in instrumentality incapacitating position after the filling portion has been advanced out of the range of actionof said feeler.

26. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for applying the wrapper toacigar bunch,

of means for supplying wrappers to said applyingmeans, mechanism forsupplying bunches to said applying means, and means preventing operation of said Wrapper. supplying means when no bunch is supplied, to said applying means.

27. In a. cigar machine, the combination with a wrapper cutting die of cigar wrapping mechanism, a Wrapper transfer for receiving a cut wrapper from said die and delivering it to said wrapping mechanism, means for supplying cigar bunches to said wrapping mechanism, and means for incapacitating said transfer when no bunch is supplied to said wrapping mechanism. 28. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar bunch shaper, of means for performing an operation on a cigar bunch, bunch carrier mechanism delivering bunches from said shaper to said means, and defective bunch detecting means operating on the bunches acted on by said shaper and connected with said means to prevent operation of the means when a defective bunch is delivered by said mechanism.

29. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch making machine for applying a binder to a charge of tobacco, of wrapping mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to said bunch, conveying devices delivering bunches from said bunch machine to said wrapping mechanism, a wrapper supplier to deliver wrappers to said wrapping means, and automatic bunch detecting means arranged to co-act with the bunches between the binder applying and wrapping operations, and operating connections between said detecting means and said wrapper supplier to prevent supplying of a wrapper when said detecting means detects a defective bunch.

30. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for delivering bunch charges of scrap tobacco, of a binder applier for rolling a binder about said charge to form a cigar bunch, cigar wrapping mechanism for applying an outer Wrapper to the bunch, automatic transfer instrumentalities for transferring bunches from said applier to said mechanism, detecting means ar ranged to engage bunches being acted on by said instrumentalities to detect defective bunches, and means controlling the operation of said mechanism actuated by said detecting means.

31. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder applier for rolling a binder about a charge to form a cigar bunch, cigar wrapping mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to the cigar bunch, transfer means for delivering the bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and a defective bunch detector arranged along the path of a bunch in said transfer means to automatically detect defective bunches and apprise the attendant of the detection of a defective bunch.

32. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder applier for rolling a binder about a charge to form a cigar bunch, cigar wrapping mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to the cigar bunch, transfer means for delivering the bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and a defective bunch detector arranged along the path of a bunch in said transfer,,means to automatically detect defective bunches and apprise the attendant of the detection of a defective bunch, said transfer means including a bunch shaper for shaping the bunches to cigar form.

33. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder applier for rolling a binder about a charge to form a cigar bunch, cigar wrapping mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to the cigar bunch, transfer'mea'ns for delivering the bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and a defective bunch detector arranged alon the path of a bunch in said transfer means to automatically detect defective bunches and apprise the attendant'of the detection of a defective bunch, said transfer means including a bunch shaping turret having an endless series of cigar bunch receiving pockets. I

34. In a cigar machine, the combination with a source of supply of tobacco, of charge separating means for separating a charge from said source of supply, a binder applier for rolling a binder about a charge separated by said means to form a cigar bunch, cigar shaping and wrapping mechanism for shaping the bunch and applying an outer wrapper to the shaped bunch, transfer means for delivering bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and a defective bunch detector arranged adjacent the path of a bunch in said transfer and mechanism responsive to an abnormal bunch or actuable when no bunch is present, and control means actuated by said detector for modifying the operation of said mechanism when no normal bunch is transferred to said mechanism.

35. In a cigar machine, the combination with a source of supply of tobacco, of means for separating a bunch charge from said source of supply, a binder applier for rolling a binder about said charge to form a cigar bunch, mechanism for forming a complete cigar from said cigar bunch, transfer means for delivering the bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and a detector arranged along the path of a bunch being transferred to said mechanism responsive to an abnormal bunch or actuable when no bunch is present, and means actuated by said detecting means for controlling said mechanism.

36. In a cigar machine, the combination with cigar wrapping devices, of mechanism for delivering cigar bunches to said wrapping devices, and means coacting with said mechanism to separate defective bunches from normal bunches and to deliver normal bunches only to said devices.

37. In a cigar machine, the combination with cigar wrapping devices, of mechanism for delivering cigar bunches to said wrapping devices, and means coacting with said mechanism to separate defective bunches from normal bunches and to deliver normal bunches only to said devices, said means including a feeler arranged to engage the bunch.

38. In a cigar machine, the combination with cigar wrapping devices, of mechanism for delivering cigar bunches to said wrapping devices, and means coacting with said mechanism to separate defective bunches from normal bunches and to deliver normal bunches only to said devices, said means including a feeler arranged to engage the bunch and devices connected with said feeler for diverting defective bunches engaged by said feeler from the path of normal bunches.

39. In a mechanism for manufacturing smoking articles consisting of a filling of tobacco within an outer wrapping, the combination with devices for advancing said articles, of a defective article detector including a feeler yieldingly urged into engagement with each of said articles, and means'controlled by said detector for diverting individual defective articles from the path of advance of normal articles as a result of said feeler engaging said defective articles, said devices including a travelling gripper and said means oplivering it to said means for application of wrapping thereto, and a device for detecting the absence of a bunch in said mechanism and thereupon incapacitating said means.

42. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for applying a wrapping to a cigar bunch, of mechanism for making a cigar bunch and delivering it to said means, and a device for detecting the absence of a normal bunch in said mechanism and thereupon incapacitating said mechanism.

43. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for applying a wrapping to a cigar bunch, of mechanism for making a cigar bunch and delivering it to said means, and a device for detecting the absence of a normal bunch in said mechanism and thereupon incapacitating said mechanism and means.

44. A device for inspecting cigar bunches normally having an external surface with a predetermined contour and length, of a series of feelers arranged to engage the article at selected points along said length, and means responsive to said feelers for detecting a substantial deviation from said predetermined contour.

45. A device for inspecting cigar bunches normally having an external surface with a predetermined contour and length, of a series of feelers arranged to engage the article at selected points along said length, said cigar bunches being normally of predetermined density, and means for yieldingly urging said feelers against the contours to detect substantial deviation from normal contour or normal density at said points.

46. In a cigar machine, the combination with bunch wrapping means, of means for supplying a wrapper to said wrapping means, a paster for applying paste to the wrapper, a bunch transfer for supplying bunches to said wrapping means, and mechanism actuated by the absence of a bunch in said transfer for incapacitating said paster.

47. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch making machine for applying a binder to a charge of scrap tobacco, of wrapping mechanism for apply an outer wrapper to said bunch, conveying devices delivering bunches from said bunch machine to said wrapping mechanism, a Wrapper supplier to deliver wrappers to said wrapping mechanism, and automatic defective bunch detecting means arranged to coact with the bunches between the binder applying and wrapping operations, so that detection of a defective bunch will effect incapacitation of the wrapping mechanism to prevent the application of a wrapper to the defective bunch.

48. In a cigar machine, the combination with a binder applier for rolling a binder about a tobacco charge to form a cigar bunch, of cigar wrapping mechanism for applying an outer Wrapper to the bunch, automatic transfer instrumentalities for transferring bunches from said applier to said mechanism, and detecting means arranged to engage bunches being acted on by said instrumentalities to detect defective bunches and prevent the wrapping mechanism from applying a wrapper to the defective bunch.

49. In a cigar machine, including mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to a cigar bunch, the combination with movable means for performing an operation on a cigar bunch prior to the application of an outer wrapper thereto, of a device engaging the bunch in said means for detecting a defective cigar bunch, and mechanism controlled by said device for preventing the application of the outer wrapper to the defective bunch.

50. In a cigar machine, the combination with means for performing an operation on a cigar bunch, of a device for detecting a defective cigar bunch in said means, mechanism for wrapping the bunches subsequent to the operation of said means thereon, and mechanism controlled by said device for preventing the wrapping of a defective bunch.

51. In a cigar machine, including mechanism for applying an outer wrapper to a cigar bunch, the combination with movable means for performing an operation on a cigar bunch prior to the application of an outer wrapper thereto, of a device engaging the bunch in said means for detecting a defective cigar bunch, and mechanismcontrolled by said device for apprising the at tendant of the detection of a defective cigar bunch.

JAMES W. WARREN. 

